Fiji continues to struggle against Covid-19 as lockdown nears a month

Fiji is continuing to assess the damage to its economy as the country nears a month in lockdown with no tourism dollars.

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Fijians are particularly struggling with social isolation, with more than 100 arrested for breaching the lockdown.
Source: Tagata Pasifika

Lautoka and Suva were locked down on April 3 and the borders closed until June, with a nationwide 8pm-5am curfew also imposed in a country where social meetings are an important part of daily life, Tagata Pasifika reports.

Non-essential businesses remain shut.

Opposition Leader Sitiveni Rebuka said the safety of Fiji's people is the most important thing right now.

"In a situation like we are in, we first of all would like to contain the damage while research is going on for a medical counter," Mr Rebuka told Tagata Pasifika.

Mother Kelera Gade says she's among those being badly affected.

"We have been kept away from work for the past almost a month, my child hasn't been going to school, he's only in year 3," she said.

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The couple moved to New Zealand from the UK last year on a “work to residence” visa.
Source: 1 NEWS

As of this week, 18 people in Fiji had tested positive for Covid-19, but the country has not recorded any deaths so far.

The country's quarantine period has now been extended by between 14-28 days and new health measures have been introduced at hospitals.

Mr Rebuka said he supports the measures, but also feels like it's a little too late.

"People have to be prepared to forgo some of the rights and enjoyments of local times."

Meanwhile, hundreds of Fijians are struggling to obey the stay-at-home orders, with hundreds of people arrested for breaching them, many at social gatherings.

Tourism in Fiji has of course taken a dive amid the lockdown, with a majority of its visitors usually coming from New Zealand and Australia.

The industry employs about 150,000 Fijians and makes up almost 40 per cent of the country's GDP.

Mr Rabuka says the loss of Tourism could be seen as "a good lesson for us".

"If we are to survive similar impacts in the future then we must learn not to have all our eggs in one basket - we should be more reliant on a broader source of revenue to support our economy in the future."